Improved railway-track



\ art to make and use the same,

waited States @anni @tithe BARON LUDWIG L() PRESTI, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

Letters Patent No. 96,12?, dated October 26, 1869; patented in EngZan-d, October 22, 1868.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-TRACK.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Baron LUDWIG Lo Pnns'rr, of Vienna, in Austria, have invented a new and improved Railroad-Track; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,"- clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

The object of this invention is to construct a cheap railway, which can beeasily constructed, and which is capable of extended application, and of 'ready transfer and displacement.

In ,accordance with the system which AI have invented, railways can be rapidly constructed, at a comparatively small cost, and without any reference to the nature and formation of the ground. The preparatoryv processes of digging, levelling, tunnelling, &c., which were heretofore requiredto construct a'railway as nearly as possible level, are not required, as iny track can be made to follow the natural elevations, depres` sions, and windings of the ground. The `track itself isnade to form one, separate independent structure, which will in itself have all requisite resistance and strength, and which does not require to be as rigid as y the anchored tracks heretofore in use.

The invention consists chiey in arranging the entire course of rails that constitutes a track on wooden beams, which are of the same length as the rails, and suiciently strong to sustain the weight of the trains, and suciently wide to admit two rows of rails and to properly balance the cars. The junctions of the several beams are made strong and reliable, and so that they'are all connected into one solid, substantial structure, which, although it may yield momentarily to a heavy train, will, when the same has passed, at once readjust itself to the proper position.

The invention consists, also, in a ilove] manuel' of connecting parallel pieces into substantial single beams; and, finally,` in the arrangement of rollers under the beams, to allow lateral motion, without excessive friction, which is an important feature where the track is supported above ground ou high trestles.

The several sections of beams are already 'provided with rails when they -are put together, at least prefer- -ably so. The rails may, if desired, be applied when a portion of the beams have been connected.

In the accompanying'sheet of drawings- Figure 1, Sheet I, represents a vertical longitudinalV section of my improved track.

Figure 2, Sheet l, is a plan or top view of the same. Figure 3, Sheet l, is a verticalv transverse section of the same, the plane of section being indicated by the line x x, iig. 2.

Figure 4, Sheet II, is a vertical longitudinal section plane of section being indicated by Figure 8, Sheet IV, is a perspective riew of thesame, showing it supported on a trestle-work.

Figure 9, Sheet 1V, is a vertical transversev section of the same, showing the roller-support on the trestle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. v

The whole track is arranged upon one row of Wooden beams, A A. These beams are made o f suitable size, and are connected by scarf or other suitable joint. The joint shown in the drawings, and particularly in iigs. 1 and 4, is made by bevelling the contiguous ends ofthe beams, and iitting'the bevellcd faces together.

The overlapping portions of the ,beams are then bolted together, preferably by conical bolts a a, which have their heads countersunk iu the upper. faces of the beams, and which are locked at their lower ends by nuts, or wedges b.

These'beams, thus connected, are placed either upon the bare ground or upon short cross-beams B, as in iigs. 1, 2, and 3, or upon stones or othersuitable suports. p When to be elevated a considerable distance above the ground, tley are supported on trestles C, shown in fig. 8.

The string of beams thus produced carries near its sides suitable rails D, on its upper-surface. Said rails are either perfectly plain L-shaped, as in lig. 3, or they are T-shaped, or sunk into the beams, as may be desired. If desired, the beams may also be grooved, or have rails at the sides to receive guide-wheels, which' steady the cars that pass over them.

It may at first sight be supposed that a single beam, which is perhaps not more, perhaps evengless than eighteen inches wide, would notgform a track wide enough for cars ofthe ordinary width.. This is, however, notso. The cars adapted to this track will have their upper frame-work so far lowered toward or below the axes of the wheels, that the centre of gravity of each car will be nearer to the 'track in the same proportion in which the bearing-surface is made narrower. The support for the cars will thus be equally secure as it was before. n

The beams may either rest quiteV loose upon their supports, or they may,.if desired, be, by suitable bolts or other devices, locked to the same.

The length of each section of, .beams is preferably' made to correspond-with the length of rails, as it is best to fasten the rails upon each section previous to connecting the beams.

For curves, the beams cau'either be sawed into the proper shape, or they are bent, as in iig. 6. On curves it will be advisable to provide a guard-rail, E, nearthc inner edge, as shown in igs. 6 and 7.

In case the Wood should not be sufficiently wide to produce beams of the requisite size, several layers may be connected; as in figs. llr'and 5, in which two lon gitudinal layers are shown. These several layers are connected by double conical keys c c, which prevent their vertical. and longitudinal displacement, and by' horizontal bolts d d, which hold them firmly together.

In case the track is supported by a trestle, as in figs. 8 and 9, thebeam is fastened to a. sleeper, F, which carries rollers e e at its ends, which rest ont-he upper cross-piece, or platform f of the trestle.A By this rolling support the track is allowed some lateral' play while the train is passing over it, to pr'event the straining of any parts. It will at once readjust itself after the train has passed.

As has been mentioned above, this track does not require to be levelled and to'have a road specially prel pared for its bed. It is or can be laid upon the ground as the same is naturally formed.

By preparing a quantity of beams, with their rails, at a manufacturingfplace, and transporting them to their respective places of destination, the track for a railroad can be laid with extraordinary rapidity, and railroads can, therefore, on this system, be readily arranged at short notice, Wherever they may be required. When not used, the track can be as easily taken up, to he used at some other place.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A railway-track, consistingof beams A, rails D, and supports B, constructed and arranged as and for the purpose hereinbefore `set forth.

'2. The combination of vertical donble-coned keys c, with the transverse bolts d, to unite the longitudiscribed. y

3. The application4 of the rollers e, between the supporting-beam and trestle, for the purpose of allowing slight lateral motion to the track, substantially as herein shown and described.

The above specification of my invention made by me, this 23d day of April, 1869.

, BN. LUDWIG LO PRESTI.

1Witnesses:

H. KREISMANN, J. H. F. PRrLLWl'rz.

nal halves of a beam, in the manner shown and de- 

